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Fee Mining Sites
May 24, 2013 | RockTumbler.com

Lots of people enjoy going to fee mining sites where you can prospect inactive surface mines, mine tailings, soil, sediments or outcrops and keep any rocks, gems, minerals or fossils that you find. Examples include: Herkimer Diamond Mines where you can search for doubly-terminated quartz crystals, and Crater of Diamonds where you might be lucky enough to find a real diamond.

USDA image
Crazy Ants Invade the USA
May 21, 2013 | The University of Texas at Austin

“Invasive “crazy ants” are displacing fire ants in areas across the southeastern United States. [...] It’s the latest in a history of ant invasions from the southern hemisphere and may prove to have dramatic effects on the ecosystem of the region.” Quoted from The University of Texas at Austin press release.

Roadside Geology Guides
May 19, 2013 | Geology.com Store

Since 1972 the “Roadside Geology” series has provided introductory information on the geology of states and small regions of the United States.

The books provide a combination of maps, travel logs, photos and commentary for the geology that can be seen along highways or visited at parks and public viewing areas. They are popular with geologists, teachers, students and others who are interested in the Earth.

Giant Snails Invade Florida
April 17, 2013 | NBC News

An invasive species, the giant African land snail is multiplying rapidly and causing problems for people who live in South Florida.

Red Tide Kills Nearly 200 Manatees
March 13, 2013 | CNN

Nearly 200 manatees have been killed by a red tide off the coast of southwest Florida.

Florida Sinkhole Poster
March 12, 2013 | Florida Geological Survey

The Florida Geological Survey has an informative poster titled “Florida’s Sinkholes”. It shows their geographic distribution, explains how they form, describes different sinkhole types, explains why they are a hazard and explains what to do if a sinkhole occurs near your home.

Homeowners Insurance and Sinkhole Damage
March 8, 2013 | Geology.com

Did you know that most homeowners insurance policies do not cover damage from any type of subsidence? That includes collapse from sinkholes, oil production, ground water pumping and underground mining activity. Most insurance companies offering homeowners coverage exclude almost any type of geologic hazard from coverage – unless you make specific arrangements to acquire it yourself.

Sinkhole Season in Florida
March 7, 2013 | Newser.com

State Geologist Jonathan Arthur says that this time of year is “sinkhole season” in Florida.

Another Sinkhole in Seffner Florida
March 5, 2013 | Yahoo! News

A second sinkhole has developed in Seffner, Florida, just a few miles from the one that destroyed a house and killed one of the occupants.

Home Over Florida Sinkhole Demolished
March 3, 2013 | Today.com

Last week a sinkhole opened beneath a home in Florida while the occupants were sleeping. One man’s bed fell into the sink and the efforts of family and rescue workers were not successful in retrieving him. Now he is presumed dead and demolition equipment is there to remove the structure while the sinkhole continues to enlarge. Injuries from sinkholes are rare but this situation shows how suddenly they can occur.

Supersized Topographic Maps
February 17, 2013 | MyTopo.com

The folks at MyTopo.com are now printing supersized topo maps; large enough make a huge 8′ x 5′ (or 5′ x 8′) map that will look fantastic on the wall of your office, conference room, lobby, cabin or den. These maps are custom-centered on any location that you pick using their online map-making tool.

We are affiliates of MyTopo.com and receive a commission on sales.

What is Killing the Coral?
February 15, 2013 | National Science Foundation

Elkhorn coral and 65 other species of reef-building corals were recently proposed for “endangered species” designation. Researchers are working to understand why these corals are disappearing from the Florida Keys and other locations.

Wall Maps of US States
February 10, 2013 | Geology.com Store

Raven Maps are beautiful examples of shaded-relief wall maps that display the elevation of a state in vibrant colors. These large maps look great in a classroom, den or office. Use one to mark the locations of your work or company.

Most Popular: 9/23/12 – 9/29/12
September 30, 2012 | Geology.com

How Much Does Exxon Profit on a Gallon of Gasoline?

Pompeii in Ruins, Again

Messier 107 Star Cluster

The Overlooked Natural Gas Basins?

Wyoming Rare Earth Deposit

Landslides Waiting to Happen

The Overlooked Natural Gas Basins?
September 28, 2012 | USGS

In the eastern United States the natural gas rush has focused on the Appalachian Basin. However, there are over a dozen minor basins along the east coast that have received very little attention.

Tropical Storm Isaac Approaches the Keys
August 26, 2012 | NOAA

Tropical Storm Isaac is about 100 miles south of the Florida Keys and is expected to strengthen to hurricane strength.

From NOAA:

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* THE FLORIDA KEYS INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS
* THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA FROM BONITA BEACH TO OCEAN REEF
* FLORIDA BAY

17′ 6″ Python from the Everglades
August 22, 2012 | USGS on YouTube

USGS researchers removed a Burmese python from the Florida Everglades that was 17′ 6″ in length and carried 87 eggs. Pythons have become an enormous problem in the Everglades and probably were introduced there as pets that were set free or escaped.

Python Problems in the Everglades
August 13, 2012 | Bloomberg.com

Kristen Hart, a research ecologist at USGS estimates that there are at least tens of thousands of pythons lurking in Florida’s Everglades. They could be responsible for declining mammal populations in southern Florida.

Panama City Waterspout
July 9, 2012 | CNN

CNN iReport has a spectacular photo of a waterspout that developed near Panama City, Florida on July 4th.

101 American Geo-Sites
June 27, 2012 | Geology.com Store

Mountain Press Publishing has released a new book by Albert B. Dickas titled: 101 American Geo-Sites You’ve Gotta See.

It provides a two-page presentation on each site that features photos, text and a map. It is a good way to get a quick glimpse of these 101 fantastic sites. It sells for $23.99.

See a table of contents.

Rapid Sea Level Rise on the Atlantic Coast
June 26, 2012 | USGS

“Since about 1990, sea-level rise in the 600-mile stretch of coastal zone from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to north of Boston, Mass. — coined a “hotspot” by scientists — has increased 2 – 3.7 millimeters per year; the global increase over the same period was 0.6 – 1.0 millimeter per year.” Quoted from the USGS press release.

Related: Sea Level Rise – New York, Washington DC

Oil and Gas in US Mesozoic Basins
June 20, 2012 | USGS

The United States Geological Survey has published Fact Sheet 2012–3075…

Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the East Coast Mesozoic Basins of the Piedmont, Blue Ridge Thrust Belt, Atlantic Coastal Plain, and New England Provinces, 2011.

Beryl: Rip Current Warnings
May 28, 2012 | Palm Beach Post

Tropical Storm Beryl is expected to produce dangerous rip currents as it moves along the Atlantic Coast of the United States.


NOAA Article: How do rip currents form?

New Process for Phosphate Rock
May 21, 2012 | The Ledger

A new technology for processing low-grade phosphate rock into phosphoric acid for fertilizer production without creating phosphogypsum could increase Florida’s useful phosphate rock resource.

Artificial Reef in the Florida Keys
May 17, 2012 | Washington Post

Ten years ago a retired navy ship was converted into an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. An unexpected benefit of the reef is millions of tourist dollars per year from scuba divers.

Transmissivity of the Upper Floridan Aquifer
April 25, 2012 | USGS

“The Floridan aquifer system covers an area of approximately 100,000 square miles in Florida and parts of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. Groundwater wells for water supply were first drilled in the late 1800s and by the year 2000, the FAS was the primary source of drinking water for about 10 million people.” Quoted from the USGS press release.

Sea Level Rise and the US Coastline
March 14, 2012 | New York Times

An article on the New York Times website explores the impact of sea level rise on the United States. Coastal flooding is expected to become much more common in the near future and millions of people could be displaced by rising waters. Florida, New York, Loisiana, California and the Chesapeake area are at particular risk.

Transportable Array Seismic Station on the East Coast
February 17, 2012 | National Science Foundation

“Yulee, Florida. Not a place one usually thinks of as an Earthquake Epicenter. But this swampland not far from the Georgia state line is now home to a state-of-the-art seismic station known as 457A.” Quoted from the NSF press release.

Coastal Topography Data
January 31, 2012 | USGS

USGS has released a large number of coastal topography data sets for the eastern coast and Gulf of Mexico acquired using lidar technology.

How Big Are Everglades Pythons?
January 30, 2012 | USGS

“This large Burmese python, weighing 162 pounds and more than 15 feet long at the time of its capture in 2009, was caught alive in the Everglades and was found to have eaten an American alligator that measured about 6 feet in length.” Quoted from the USGS media gallery.

Image by Mike Rochford , University of Florida

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Homeowners InsuranceHomeowners Insurance usually does not cover damage caused by floods, landslides, earthquakes and other geohazards.
frac sandFrac Sand is a high-purity silica sand used in hydraulic fracturing to enhance the flow of oil and gas from tight rock units.
Diamond formationDiamonds from Coal? Diamonds form under a variety of conditions that rarely involve coal as a source of carbon.
fluorescent mineralsFluorescent Minerals glow with spectacular colors when illuminated in the dark with an ultraviolet lamp.
Uses of heliumHelium is a byproduct of the natural gas industry. Its most important use is in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.
Canada diamond minesCanada Diamond Mines: Canada is the third largest producer of gem-quality diamonds in the world.
Utica shaleUtica Shale: New wells in eastern Ohio prove that the Utica Shale will be a major source of natural gas and natural gas liquids.
Green River fossilsSpectacular Fossils of the Green River Formation. Some of the world's best-preserved fossil fish from an intermountain lake.
OpalOpals: Gem quality opal is one of the most spectacular gemstones. A single stone can flash with every color of the spectrum.
NovaruptaMost Powerful Eruption of the 20th Century: People in Juneau heard the volcanic blast - over one hour after it occurred.



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